


Midnight Driver

by mellifluous (TpLoz)



Series: One Hundred Ways To Say 'I Love You' Writing Challenge [1]
Category: SF9 (Band)
Genre: 100 Ways to Say I Love You Writing Challenge, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Depiction of grief, M/M, Slice of Life, mentioned minor character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:27:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28016193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TpLoz/pseuds/mellifluous
Summary: Seokwoo's accompanying Jaeyoon for a trip back to his home after Jaeyoon heard of his father's passing. He offers to drive for a while, so Jaeyoon can get some rest.
Relationships: Kim Seokwoo | Rowoon/Lee Jaeyoon
Series: One Hundred Ways To Say 'I Love You' Writing Challenge [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2052054
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4





	Midnight Driver

**Author's Note:**

> The title is the same as 'Midnight Driver' by Fromm which is an excellent song and fits this fic really well! I suggest you check it out if you have time~
> 
> Now, about this series. I've really wanted to try out this challenge for ages, but I couldn't find a pairing that I vibed with completely. This pairing has a special place in my heart though, so I wanted to try it out with them! I actually had a pact with myself not to post any of these until I wrote 5 fics, but well... I wanted to read this one again tonight because it came from a very deep place in my heart and thought 'why not post it?'. These fics/ficlets/drabbles won't all be in the same universe, but the majority will be in this roommates universe! If that changes though, I'll let you know~

Seokwoo squints against the city lights, glaring in their intensity and jarring after his brief nap in the passenger's seat. He groans, aggravating the back of his throat. The stale car air has disrupted the harmony of his throat and it feels as if something sharp and pointy has been rubbing at the cavity for hours. Reaching for the water bottle, he glances at Jaeyoon behind the steering wheel.

Jaeyoon has just lost his dad and it shows in how his shoulders have climbed up, raised high, tense and taut, and how the deep eyebags have impossibly become deeper.

"You're awake," Jaeyoon says, smiling at Seokwoo, wane and weak.

Seokwoo chokes down some water, coughing wetly after and rasping out a "Yeah". He loved car trips like this as a kid, but now his adult body is protesting. It would be marvellous to be small and compact right now; his legs are cramped against the dash uncomfortably and he’s incredibly excited for when he can stretch them out.

"I feel like a fish out of water right now," Seokwoo sticks the bottle of water back into its designated place. "how do you make this trip so often?" He settles back into his seat, pulling his cardigan closer to him to combat against the cool night air.

"Good question," laughs Jaeyoon, crows-feet showing around his tired eyes. "I guess it didn't feel like much if it meant I could spend more time with dad, you know? Things feel different when they're about family, or just anyone you care about really. It makes me laugh these days when I see people talking about relationships as being completely quid pro quo. Love isn't like that." And then, even quieter, he says, "I'd drive any distance just to see my dad smile once more..."

Seokwoo's chest aches for Jaeyoon, tears threaten to build up in the corners of his eyes as he remembers how it felt to lose his own dad.

"I know the feeling," Seokwoo says and his words are bundled up into the silence in the car as they drive through this sleepy city. Seokwoo has no clue what city it is, but after a few moments of silence, he tells Jaeyoon, "Pull over. Let me drive for awhile."

"Hm? It's okay though. You told me you've never driven out this way before so I can-"

"Let me, Jaeyoon. You need rest," he pleads. "You can bring up the directions on my phone. Or, maybe you could give me directions as I drive. Just... please?"

Jaeyoon opens his mouth as if to protest some more, before he relaxes his shoulders and lets out a small huff.

"Aye, aye, Captain," he jokes.

He slows the car to a stop at the side of a sleepy street, occupants of the apartments snuggled up in bed and shops with their shutters down. They swap seats easily. Seokwoo stretches his limbs like a cat as he exits the car. Jaeyoon, quickly stepping to the other side of the car, eyes his belly as if he were thinking about poking Seokwoo. It's something he does in the mornings when Seokwoo is sleepy and stumbling to the kitchen to prepare for his day.

"Don't even think about it," Seokwoo grumbles, prompting a laugh from Jaeyoon.

Holding his hands high, Jaeyoon says, "I would never do that to someone who’s about to sit behind the wheel of my car!" Mirth lights up his eyes however, and Seokwoo's arms instinctively go to protect his belly, squinting his eyes at his mischievous roommate.

Jaeyoon laughs, ruffling Seokwoo's hair. "C'mon, we gotta get back on the road, Seok'."

The drive after that is calm. Seokwoo adjusts the seat, and Jaeyoon leans his head back while staring out the window until he eventually succumbs to his fatigue. Seokwoo peeks over at Jaeyoon every-so-often, each time the corners of his lips curl up.

He's glad Jaeyoon asked him to come. It would suck to be alone right now after everything he's gone through.

Seokwoo drives on with his phone metaphorically lighting the way to where they need to go.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are appreciated!! 
> 
> What did you think of this first part? Do you like car trips? I, personally, don't mind them as long as I have some good tunes and snacks~ (Then again, I'm not the one doing the driving 😂 so, maybe my opinion would change!)


End file.
